Humana is teaming-up with Weight Watchers to help employers fight the rising levels of obesity. Under the deal, all Humana members in qualified employer-sponsored health plans now have free and discounted access to Weight Watchers through an integrated wellness program built into their health plan. Dubbed first-of-its-kind program, it closely integrates Weight Watchers into Humana’s medical and wellness programs, connecting members who want to lose weight to the program at no cost for six months, and at a significant discount thereafter.

“We want to help employers find effective ways to battle obesity, improve the overall wellness of their employees and create healthy communities,” said Beth Bierbower, President of Humana’s Employer Group Segment. “With that in mind, partnering with Weight Watchers just made sense – it allows us to connect our members with a leading weight loss program so that they can better navigate their wellness journeys.”

Humana participants can chose Weight Watchers Online Plus to follow the plan entirely online with new 24/7 Expert Chat real-time support and access to all the digital tools and apps; or they can choose Weight Watchers Meetings for face-to-face support from a Coach who has lost weight with Weight Watchers and exchange experiences with a group of like-minded peers, along with 24/7 Expert Chat and digital tools and apps.

According to recent studies, U.S. employers are losing billions in productivity every year to obesity-related health issues.